


Countdown

by almostjulie



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Drabble Sequence, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 22:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10580946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/almostjulie/pseuds/almostjulie
Summary: On day ten of his mission, when Finn was leading a group of liberated First Order prisoners through muck and pelting rain to what he hoped was the safety he had promised them, Finn realized that he loved Poe Dameron.It wasn’t exactly the best timing.





	

On day ten of his mission, when Finn was leading a group of liberated First Order prisoners through muck and pelting rain to what he hoped was the safety he had promised them, Finn realized that he loved Poe Dameron. 

It wasn’t exactly the best timing. 

He shook the thought from his head. This was his first time acting as mission commander: three Pathfinders under his command and the fate of the prisoners on his shoulders. He tightened his grip on his blaster and reminded himself that his feelings for Poe would be irrelevant if he didn’t make it home.

***

There were nine hours until daybreak, until the added cover of darkness was gone. The squad marched on, through ravines, up hillsides. They weren’t making enough progress. 

When a prisoner stumbled, Finn knelt down to help him. “Sorry, I’m trying,” he said with a look of fear, like Finn might abandon him. 

“No one’s getting left behind," Finn said. “Think of something you want to get back to. It’s what I’m doing.” 

Finn thought about Poe’s smile and kept one foot moving in front of the other, until they crested a ridge and saw the lights of a town below.

***

He waited in a dimly lit cantina. The squad and freed prisoners were camped outside the settlement, waiting. Finn hoped their intelligence -- that the settlement was sympathetic to the Resistance -- was true. The bartender had eight eyes; nothing was getting past her. 

He didn’t dare look up when he heard the barstool beside him creak, but the voice, low in his ear, was one of the more welcome sound he’d ever heard. “Clearing to the northeast: Wexley’s waiting with a transport.” Finn nodded slightly. “It’s good to see you,” Poe continued, and Finn felt a warmth bloom in his chest.

***

After Finn’s debriefing, Poe was waiting in the hallway outside of command, leaning back in his chair with his hands clasped behind his head, grinning at him. “Congratulations, Captain. How do you want to celebrate?”

Finn’s heart beat a little faster. He could think of quite a few things he’d like to do with Poe -- at least seven scenarios flashed through his mind -- and he felt himself blush. 

Poe eyed him curiously. 

Finn opened his mouth to speak but exhaustion hit him like a blaster bolt. “Sleep now, celebrate later?” 

Poe threw an arm around his shoulder. “Works for me.” 

***

Six hours’ sleep was standard for stormtroopers. After years of conditioning, Finn would put his head down on his pillow and wake up six hours later, like clockwork. 

He woke in their shared room in the middle of the night, and couldn’t get back to sleep. He listened to Poe’s steady breathing from his cot, and momentarily wondered if Poe would be mad if he woke him up. But they kept odd hours; Poe had gotten him up plenty of times. 

He took a deep breath. It wasn’t now or never, but it was as good a time as any.

***

“Hey, Poe, are you awake?” Finn asked softly. 

“Five more minutes,” Poe mumbled. 

Finn sighed. He supposed this could wait until morning. Problem was, he was awake now. He dressed as quietly as he could; the good thing about a military base was that there was always something to do. 

When he opened the door and light spilled in from the hallway, he heard Poe say, “Finn?”

“Can’t sleep. Was gonna go make myself useful.” 

Poe rubbed his eyes then propped himself up on his shoulders, blanket pooling at his hips. “Stay with me?” he said, and Finn couldn’t refuse. 

***

Poe yawned and stretched and woke himself up. “So what do you want to do?” he asked. And Finn must have taken too long to answer, because Poe looked at him, a little worried, “Finn, you okay?”

He wanted to tell Poe how he felt, how maybe he had always felt, but could never put to words. “I really missed you,” he said eventually. Those four words weren’t enough.

“Me too, buddy.” Poe replied, warm and easy, like a friend would. 

“I love you,” Finn said, barely a whisper, and his heart pounded like he was running across a battlefield. 

***

Before Finn could fully register what was happening, Poe closed the space between them in three short steps. He wrapped his arms around Finn and said, “Love you, too,” breath tickling the shell of Finn’s ear. 

Finn’s pent-up tension evaporated as he returned the hug. “I should’ve told you sooner.”

Poe pulled back slightly to look him in the eye. “Trust me, every pilot on this base will tell you _I_ should have said something weeks ago.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m pretty sure there’s a betting pool on when we’d finally get together.” 

Finn laughed. “Think the winner will buy us drinks?” 

***

Finn walked backwards until the backs of his knees hit the side of his cot. He dropped unceremoniously and pulled Poe down on top of him, grunting at the weight of the other man. “Okay, two questions.” 

Poe grinned down at him. “Shoot.” 

“How much do you weigh, and can I kiss you?”

“I’m not dignifying that first question with a response -- you gotta weigh at least as much as I do. The second, though,” Poe licked his lips and leaned in close, “Yes, please. As much and whenever you want.” 

“Good,” Finn said, and rose up to meet him. 

***

Time almost seemed to stop. Everything but Poe dropped away, and Finn was lost to the sensation of Poe’s tongue sliding against his, of the thrum of Poe’s pulse under his fingertips, of the solid heat of Poe’s thigh pressed between his legs. 

The First Order was still a threat. There would be more prisoners for him to rescue, more bombing runs for Poe to fly. But that was for another day. Finn let himself have this moment. 

In the morning, they would both go back to work. Right now, though, there was only one place he wanted to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://starshipsandhighseas.tumblr.com/) if that's your thing.


End file.
